Beverage servers are an ubiquitous commodity of the restaurant industry. Typically they include a pitcher for containing a beverage and a lid that is attached thereto in some manner and that opens to allow filling of the pitcher and pouring therefrom. Often the pitcher will have a double walled construction that includes an insulating material to keep the contained beverage hot or cold as desired.
One problem with many prior art beverage servers is that hot beverages can be easily spilled from them. Thus, if a beverage server is upset, the lid can open and allow the beverage to spill out. This spillage wastes not only the beverage but can also directly cause injuries if a hot beverage is spilled onto a person. Indirect injuries may occur to people due to their attempts at avoiding the spilling beverage or later slipping and falling if the beverage should spill onto the floor. In either case, the prepared food merchandiser faces potential economic losses whenever a spill occurs due to payment of damages for any injuries as well as the loss of business because of unhappy customers.
Restaurants are not the only locations where such beverage servers are found. Many of the presently available types of servers have also found their way into the home and work place. The dangers related to an unsealed server and spills therefrom in the restaurant industry are also applicable to their use in the home or work place. While devices that provide a sealed container are presently being sold, such as beverage servers having a screw-on lid, they are often difficult for certain segments of the population to use, such as children or individuals who have a loss of hand flexibility or strength and are therefore not acceptable for use in the home, work place or restaurant generally. Additionally, because of the time involved in sealing and unsealing the lids, they are not practical or economical to use in a busy environment such as a restaurant where it is more desirable to have waiters dispensing prompt service to the waiting customer than spending time sealing and unsealing server lids.
It would be desirable, therefore, to have a beverage server having a lid capable of sealing onto the pitcher to prevent accidental spills that is simple to use and that requires a minimum of hand strength and flexibility and a minimum of time to use.